


the way we find home

by WishingTree



Category: Amar a Muerte (TV)
Genre: F/F, fairytale AU, me: drops this and jazz hands away to hide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-26
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-11-05 21:20:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17926559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WishingTree/pseuds/WishingTree
Summary: Juliana knelt down on one knee, crossing an arm over her leg and placing her other hand over her heart. “My Lady, I promise you this. As long as there is life in me, no harm will befall you. You have my word.”When a curse is placed upon the beloved Princess Valentina, her sister locks her away while the kingdom searches for a way to break it. All hope seems lost, until a girl named Juliana arrives with a way to save her.Fairytale AU (ish)





	the way we find home

**Author's Note:**

> It’s not quite a prince charming au, but it is some kind of fairytale au
> 
> Special shoutout to my two [awesome](https://archiveofourown.org/users/northernstars/) [friends](http://randommindblurps.tumblr.com/) for all their amazing help and support with this!!

Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived two girls, far apart and yet more connected than they knew. In this life they had never met, but with fate binding them together and destiny holding true, it was only a matter of time. 

 

And that time had come.

 

As the ruling monarchs of the entire kingdom, the family Carvajal was not without enemies. But they were smart, and they were strong, and through the years they were successful in protecting themselves and keeping the peace, successful in standing tall against the odds, successful in all of it.

Successful right up until the time when they weren’t.

One quiet night, everything was thrown to disaster when the castle was stormed, attackers descending upon the grounds. The battle was bloody, and not without casualties: King Leon was murdered, and before the remaining invaders were apprehended, a curse was laid upon the youngest daughter, the beloved Princess Valentina. 

Try as they might, none could find a way to help her, and everybody feared that the terms of the curse would come to pass – that on the last full moon of summer, her heart would slow to a stop, and she would die.

The kingdom mourned. 

Princess Regent Eva whisked Valentina away to a remote set of rooms in the oldest part of the grounds, the building that housed the old spellmaster’s chambers and little else. Declaring that the most skilled knights and scholars in the entire kingdom were searching for a way to break the curse, she claimed that this was the only way to keep her safe in the meantime. She left no room for argument, and Valentina was locked away.

Many stopped by her new chambers to offer empty words of support and well–wishes, or to try keeping her company, but none were able to comfort the princess.

None were even able to make her smile.

Weeks passed, and then months, and Valentina despaired that she would die cursed and alone, trapped in this room and staring at the ancient stone walls as she slowly lost hope of ever knowing peace or freedom again. 

Indeed, it did seem that way, until one day when a girl named Juliana Valdés arrived.

 

And thus the story begins.

 

 

 

“My Lady,” Juliana bowed, holding out her hand in a sweeping gesture, and Valentina dipped her head instinctively at the greeting. “How are you faring on this fine day?” 

“As well as can be expected,” Valentina replied, taken aback at the unusual question. Juliana was around her age, perhaps a bit younger, with dark hair and darker eyes, and when she stayed just one step inside the door instead of advancing, Valentina tilted her head and waited for her to speak again. There was something familiar about this woman, something that made Valentina feel like she somehow already knew her, and she thought it over as she took her in.

Juliana was dressed in muted blues and greens, with a sword strapped to her waist and a pack slung over one shoulder. Her boots were worn but well–kept, she had a cloak hanging down her back, and Valentina couldn’t see anything that might explain this instant attachment she was feeling. Pulling her out of her thoughts, Juliana tilted her head to the side and drew Valentina’s attention back to her face, and her smile was hesitant but kind when their gazes met, her presence calming.

She was assuredly the most attractive of all who had come calling during her imprisonment, but Valentina chastised herself for allowing that unexpected thought to cross her mind. It was strange. Something about her eyes was calling to Valentina, and something in Valentina was reaching out for her in return. The longer she looked, the more pronounced the feeling of comfortable familiarity became, and Valentina wanted nothing more than to bask in it.

Blinking to distract herself from becoming too absorbed in her dark eyes, Valentina pulled back. “Do I… know you?” she asked uncertainly, resisting the urge to wrap her arms around herself in search of a comfort she couldn’t define.

Juliana was staring at her with wide eyes, and at the words she seemed to come back to herself, lightly shaking her head and standing tall.

“I… I don’t believe so, Your Highness,” she shook her head one more time, holding a hand to her temple for a moment before she lowered it again, “I assure you, I would remember that.” 

“Oh?” Valentina felt her lips curling up playfully, “And you assume it would be so easy for anybody to forget meeting you? I think not.” 

Juliana laughed, and Valentina felt her heart stutter at the sound, felt her breath catching in her throat. She found herself beaming at the response, tangling her fingers together, and then forced herself to focus.

“How did you get in here? You have no guards accompanying you,” she asked curiously, only just realizing the fact, and Juliana’s eyes crinkled as she shot her a little grin, shrugging her shoulders and hiking her bag higher. 

“I have had much practice ensuring that my presence goes unnoticed. It was a simple matter to sneak past them.” 

With anybody else, the words would ignite a fear response, the threat that came with the implication that nobody was aware that she had such easy access more than enough to frighten her, but Valentina felt no fear in her presence, not an ounce of discomfort or unease. It wasn’t said with a malicious undertone, but with more of a self–deprecating sort of pride, a fascinating combination.

It sparked that feeling in Valentina again, that same feeling that they had met each other before. The feeling that they not only knew each other, but had meant something to each other.

Then Valentina bit the inside of her cheek and furrowed her brow, reprimanding herself for entertaining such illogical thoughts. The very notion was ridiculous. She had been left alone with her novels too long. 

“I suppose you are here to pledge yourself to the cause as well?” she sighed, propping her chin in her hand. “While I appreciate the sentiment, there are many others, and none have found even a hint of a solution for this predicament I’m in.” 

“No, Your Highness,” Juliana replied, looking at her with a slightly curious tilt to her head before her face cleared and she brightened as if remembering something, “In fact, I would like to skip all of that. I may know of a way to break your curse.” 

Valentina raised her eyebrows at the words, surprised at the amount confidence lacing them. “What?” 

“I also offer my services in aiding you escape from this veiled imprisonment in which your family has sentenced you,” Juliana added, another tiny smile appearing on her face, “But be that as it may, in both matters, it is your decision to make.” 

The mischievous gleam in her eyes only made her that much more endearing, and Valentina found herself smiling once more. “What do you know of breaking curses?” she asked, and Juliana smiled.

“Amongst the people of my village, there was once talk of an enchanted waterfall hidden in the wilds,” she began, taking a small step forward and gesturing with her hands. “Imbued with the essence of true love, the waters were said to be so pure that they could wash away every ailment, could cure any illness… and could break even the worst of curses.” 

“…A place like that can’t possibly exist, can it?” Valentina hazarded, hardly daring to let herself hope, “Waters imbued with the essence of true love?” Juliana’s gaze was steady as she nodded, nothing in her betraying any subterfuge or ill intent, and Valentina felt a spark of belief in her begin to grow.

“I assure you, it does. The knowledge was lost many years ago, forgotten to the passing of time, and many believe it to be nothing more than a story.” 

“It does sound… fanciful, if nothing else,” Valentina hesitated.

“It does, but what they don’t know is that I can take you to it.” 

Valentina slowly sat up in her seat, folding her hands in her lap as she considered this new information. This could be the answer they had been searching for, the way to save her. Her attention shifted back to Juliana again, and she tilted her head when she realized that nagging feeling wasn’t going away. 

There was something special about this girl.

“Who are you?” 

Juliana ducked her head, and Valentina saw a flash of her self–deprecating half smile before her hair fell forward to hide it. “Believe me, Princess, I am nobody special.”

“Oh, I very much doubt that,” Valentina murmured without thinking, and then she pressed her lips together and winced, sorely hoping her words hadn’t been heard.

“The waterfall is real, I can guarantee it,” Juliana stated, and Valentina hummed.

“And you say that you are the one who will guide me there?” Valentina asked warily, still unsure about this development that seemed too good to be true, but Juliana eased that with a simple smile.

“There are ancient ruins of a castle that fell long before your family came to power. It is a journey of several weeks, but a simple one that can be made easily.” Juliana caught the edge of her cloak and rubbed her fingers absentmindedly along the seam as she spoke. “There is a map hidden there, and that map will lead to the waterfall.” 

Valentina nodded, sorting through the details in her mind. “Alright, if you tell this to my sister, I’m sure she’ll arrange for – ” 

“I mean no offence, Princess, but I will not trust this information to the palace guards, nor to the other members of the royal family,” Juliana interrupted. “Besides, you know as well as I that I would never be granted an audience.” 

“What?” 

Juliana raised an eyebrow. “Do I bear any resemblance to a noble of high status?” she asked dryly, glancing down at herself, “I wasn’t allowed past the front gate, and I certainly won’t be allowed inside the castle itself.” 

The realization left a bad taste in Valentina’s mouth, and she knew Juliana was right about that. Eva would never so much as look at her, never mind grant her permission to lead a company with Valentina across the kingdom.

“But it is enough to save your life, and for that reason I will take you there. But I do not have confidence that the location will be safe if shared with others. It will surely be exploited, and I cannot allow that.” 

Valentina nodded, pursing her lips as she thought it over. If no one else in the kingdom could find a way to save her, then it was high time she attempted to save herself. And it seemed that Juliana was the one who could make that happen. Whatever the reason, it seemed that Valentina _trusted_  Juliana, trusted her implicitly with all of this, and Valentina had always been one to follow her instincts. Her parents had taught her well.

Hesitating one last time, Valentina remembered the caution in her father’s words as he told her not to leave the castle grounds alone, and wondered at the danger this would bring.

As if reading her mind, Juliana knelt down on one knee, crossing an arm over her leg and placing her other hand over her heart. “My Lady, I promise you this. As long as there is life in me, no harm will befall you. You have my word.”

Her words were sincere, and Valentina caught her breath at the vow, somehow so different from all the others she had heard in the last few months. She looked down at her, an emotion she couldn’t identify welling up her throat, and then she rose smoothly and took the two steps necessary to stand in front of Juliana.

“Very well. Now, please…” she whispered softly, bending to take Juliana’s hand in her own. Juliana looked up in surprise at the touch, and Valentina smiled at her as she pulled her up until she was standing again. The new angle of her sheathed sword revealed some kind of crest, something intricate that Valentina couldn’t quite place, but she was quickly distracted by the fall of Juliana’s hair, the way it brushed over her shoulders. 

“Yes?” Juliana was watching her patiently, eyes sparkling in the torchlight, and Valentina nodded after a moment’s deliberation.

“I accept your offer.”

A shiver ran through her at the prospect of finally leaving these rooms, of finally seeing the open sky again, of being free and _alive_. It may have also partially been due to the prospect of spending more time with Juliana, but Valentina decided to ignore that.

There were more important things to focus on.

“Then pack your bag,” Juliana said as a soft smile spread across her face, releasing a breath and looking down at their joined hands, “For our journey awaits, Princess.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and there's the end of exposition city!


End file.
